Snowball sampling consumer behaviour research to characterise the influence of market mavens on social networks
by Takashi Yoshida; Tomohisa Gotoh; Nobuyuki Tomizawa; Ken'ichi Ikeda
International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications (IJISTA), Vol. 12, No. 3/4, 2013

Abstract: Market maven is a type of consumers who spread their capricious knowledge widely. Although the existence of market mavens has been known, our research is the first to characterise their disposition and role on social networks. We carried out researches about consumer behaviour and social networks, applying snowball sampling technique, an ideal way to acquire samples of influential individuals. Market mavens were included more among influential respondents. In addition, by the analysis of social network structure, market mavens were found to be taking part in more groups of people and therefore act as a bridge between groups that spreads information from one to others. These results revealed the market mavens' influence in diffusion processes.

Online publication date: Wed, 25-Sep-2013

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